Free
E-newsletter
Subscribe to Housecall
Our weekly general interest
e-newsletter keeps you up to date
on a wide variety of health topics.
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) is a prenatal test in which a sample of chorionic villi is removed from the placenta for testing.
During pregnancy, the placenta provides oxygen and nutrients to the growing baby and removes waste products from the baby's blood. The chorionic villi are wispy projections that make up most of the placenta and share the baby's genetic makeup.
Chorionic villus sampling can reveal whether a baby has a chromosomal condition, such as Down syndrome. Chorionic villus sampling can also be used to test for other genetic conditions, such as cystic fibrosis.
Although chorionic villus sampling can provide valuable information about your baby's health, the decision to pursue invasive diagnostic testing is serious. It's important to understand the risks of chorionic villus sampling — and be prepared for the results.
- Ghidini A. Chorionic villus sampling: Risks, complications, and techniques. www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 1, 2012.
- Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ165. Screening for birth defects. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq165.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20120801T1651400794. Accessed Aug. 1, 2012.
- Cunningham FG, et al. Williams Obstetrics. 23rd edition. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Companies; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=6021591. Accessed Aug. 8, 2012.
- Gabbe SG, et al. Obstetrics: Normal and Problem Pregnancies. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Churchill Livingstone Elsevier; 2012:1.
- Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ027. The Rh factor: How it can affect your pregnancy. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq027.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20120809T1038350240. Accessed Aug. 9, 2012.
- Frequently asked questions. Pregnancy FAQ171. Cystic fibrosis: Prenatal screening and diagnosis. American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology. http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq171.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20120801T1656571546. Accessed Aug. 1, 2012.
- Moore KL, et al. The Developing Human: Clinically Oriented Embryology. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2013:1.
- Gibbs RS, et al. Danforth's Obstetrics and Gynecology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Wolters Kluwer Health Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2008. http://www.danforthsobgyn.com. Accessed Aug. 8, 2012.
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Your Pregnancy and Childbirth Month to Month. 5th ed. Washington, D.C.: American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; 2010:343.
- Patient information: Chorionic villus sampling. http://www.uptodate.com/index. Accessed Aug. 9, 2012.
- Beckman CRB, et al. Obstetrics and Gynecology. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2010:57.
- Vincent Corbett J, et al. Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures with Nursing Diagnoses. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson Education, Inc.; 2013:695.
- Fischbach F, et al. A Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Wolters Kluwer Health Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2009:1039.
- Mosby's Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Elsevier; 2010:1151.
- Harms RW (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Aug. 21, 2012.
Find Mayo Clinic on